Rockchip Firmware Format¶
The rockchip firmware release_update.img
, contains the boot loader loader.img
and the real firmware data update.img
:
release_update.img
update.img
is packed with multiple image files, described by a control file named package-file
. A typical package-file
is:
package-file
: packing description ofupdate.img
, which is also included byupdate.img
.Image/MiniLoaderAll.bin
: The first bootloader loaded by cpu rom code.Image/parameter.txt
: Parameter file where you can set the kernel boot parameters and partition layout.Image/trust.img
: The Arm Trusted Image.Image/misc.img
: misc partition image, used to control boot mode of Android.Image/kernel.img
: Android kernel image.Image/resource.img
: Resource image with boot logo and kernel device tree blob.Image/boot.img
: Android initramfs, a root filesystem loaded in normal boot, contains important initialization and services description.Image/recovery.img
: Recovery mode image.Image/system.img
: Android system partition image.
Rockchip Factory Tool is used to flash official firmware or ROM images on Rockchip based devices like android tv box, smart phones and tablets. Its small in size and easy to use. Below is a tutorial on how to flash/upgrade Rockchip based devices with official firmware using this tool. In this tutorial we show you how to upgrade the Xmedex XTREME devices firmware using the supplied cables, as well as RockChips flash tool (Android Tool Relea.
Unpacking is extracting update.img
from release_update.img
, and then unpacking all the image files inside.
While repacking, it is the inverse process. It synthesizes the image files described by the package-file
, into update.img
, which will be further packed together with the bootloader to create the final release_update.img
.
Installation of Tools¶
Unpacking Rockchip Firmware¶
Rockchip Create Upgrade Disk Tool v1.53.rar. Rockchip Create Upgrade Disk Tool v1.53.rar.
Rockchip Create Upgrade Disk Tool V1.6
Unpacking
release_update.img
:Unpacking
update.img
:Check the file tree in the update directory:
Packing Rockchip Firmware¶
The rockchip firmware release_update.img
, contains the boot loader loader.img
and the real firmware data update.img
:
release_update.img
update.img
is packed with multiple image files, described by a control file named package-file
. A typical package-file
is:
package-file
: packing description ofupdate.img
, which is also included byupdate.img
.Image/MiniLoaderAll.bin
: The first bootloader loaded by cpu rom code.Image/parameter.txt
: Parameter file where you can set the kernel boot parameters and partition layout.Image/trust.img
: The Arm Trusted Image.Image/misc.img
: misc partition image, used to control boot mode of Android.Image/kernel.img
: Android kernel image.Image/resource.img
: Resource image with boot logo and kernel device tree blob.Image/boot.img
: Android initramfs, a root filesystem loaded in normal boot, contains important initialization and services description.Image/recovery.img
: Recovery mode image.Image/system.img
: Android system partition image.
Rockchip Factory Tool is used to flash official firmware or ROM images on Rockchip based devices like android tv box, smart phones and tablets. Its small in size and easy to use. Below is a tutorial on how to flash/upgrade Rockchip based devices with official firmware using this tool. In this tutorial we show you how to upgrade the Xmedex XTREME devices firmware using the supplied cables, as well as RockChips flash tool (Android Tool Relea.
Unpacking is extracting update.img
from release_update.img
, and then unpacking all the image files inside.
While repacking, it is the inverse process. It synthesizes the image files described by the package-file
, into update.img
, which will be further packed together with the bootloader to create the final release_update.img
.
Installation of Tools¶
Unpacking Rockchip Firmware¶
Rockchip Create Upgrade Disk Tool v1.53.rar. Rockchip Create Upgrade Disk Tool v1.53.rar.
Rockchip Create Upgrade Disk Tool V1.6
Unpacking
release_update.img
:Unpacking
update.img
:Check the file tree in the update directory:
Packing Rockchip Firmware¶
First of all, make sure system
partition in parameter.txt
file is larger enough to hold system.img
. You can reference Parameter file format to understand the partition layout.
Upgradetool is a close-sourced command line tool provided by Rockchip, which supports flashing Raw Firmware, RK Firmware and Partition Image to the eMMC. Installing upgradetool ¶ upgradetool Download Link. Upgradetool is a firmware upgrade tool for Linux. You can find it in Linux SDK root/ tools/linux/LinuxUpgradeTool. Or you can donwload it from here.
For example, in the line prefixed with “CMDLINE” in parameter.txt
, you will find the description of system
partition similiar to the following content:
The heximal string before the “@” is the partiton size in sectors (1 sector = 512 bytes here), therefore the size of the system partition is:
To create release_update_new.img
:
Customization¶
Customizing system.img¶
system.img is an ext4 file system format image file which can be mounted directly to the system for modification:
Note that the free space of system.img
is almost 0. If you need to expand the image file, do adjust the partition layout in parameter.txt
accordingly.
The following is an example of how to increase the size of the image file by 128MB.
Before expanding, make sure system.img
is not mounted by running:
Rockchip Upgrade_tool Android
Resize the image file: